Apparatus for recovering values from a solution



J. B. MARTIN Sept; 7, 1931.

APPARATUS FOR RIEICOVE'RII KFr VALUES .FROM A SOLUTION Original Filed001;. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY Sept. 7, 1937. J.B.MART1N 2 092,000

APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING VALUES FROM A S'OLUT'ION Original Filed Oct.29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 7, 1937' v Y 1 UNITED STAT-ESPATENT- OFFICE APPARATUS FOR REoovERING vALUEs.

1 FROM A SOLUTION John B. Martin, Baguio, P. I.

Originalapplication October 29, 1932, Serial No. 640,259. Divided andthis application June 24, 1935, Serial No. 28,223

5 Claims. (01. 259-18) This invention relates to apparatus for recover-Figure 5 is a sect o al View ta en o the line ing suspended values froma solution, and more 5-,-5 of Figure 2. particularly, but notnecessarily, for feeding a Figure 6 is an elevational view partly insecprecipitant, such as zinc dust, to a solution contion and partlydiagrammatical showing the man- 5 taining suspended values such as acyanide solunor in which a plunger pump is employed; v tic-n bearing orevalues. This application is a Thepresent invention is designed for usedivision of my invention disclosed in Letters Patwherever the feeding ofa powdered substance out No. 2,010,239, dated Aug. 6, 1935. h to asolution or another substance may be re- It is one object ofthisinvention to provide an quired, and particularly Where it is desiredthe 10 improved method and apparatus for feeding a powdered'solution befed continuously and in ex- 10 powdered substance to a liquid in such amanner act amount. that the powdered substance is brought into inti- Forthe sake of simplicity, the present method mate molecular contact withsaid liquid. and, apparatus will be described in connection Anotherobject is to provide a method and apwith the pr f precipitating ld v lus from paratus for mixing a powdered substance with a a cyanidesolution. I I

liquid body, wherein the powdered substance is The use of zinc dust as aprecipitant for preadded tothe other said substance in a continuouscipitating suspended values from a cyanide soluuniform spray, wherebythe powdered substance tion is well known in the art. However, becauseis brought into intimate molecular contact of the tendency of zinc dustto take. on or absorb throughout the body of the liquid substance.moisture. from the air, it has been Very difiicult ,20 Another object isto provide a novel method to obtain efiicient feeding of zinc dust to asoluand apparatus for feeding a powderedsubstance tion. Many processesand apparatus have been to a liquid in such a manner as to distributeheretofore proposed, but due to absorption of the powdered substanceevenly and regularly moisture by the zinc dust, the known methodsthroughout the entire body of a liquid. and apparatus fail to feed the.zinc dust in a 25 Another object is to provide a method andapcontinuous exact amount; since the zinc dust paratus for mixing aprecipitant and a'relatively tends to clog and adhere to the feedingapparatus. small volume of a liquid, and means and method Since thepercentage of precipitate recovered for agitating the mixture whereby aprecipitatdepends on the thoroughness and intimacy in ing process may befacilitated in a relatively which the precipitant is mixed with thesolution, 30

larger body of solution containing suspended it has been found necessaryto provide a. method values. I and apparatus that shall positively feedthe zinc A further object is to provide a novel method dust to thesolution in the exact amount required and apparatus having the abovecharacteristics, in order to increase the percent of precipitate 35wherein both the method and apparatus are simobtained from the solution.

ple' and efficient in operation, and generally to As stated above, inorder to disclose the present improve on apparatus of this character.invention, the apparatus here described is for The above and otherobjects will be apparent the purpose of precipitating the suspendedvalues throughout the further description of the invenfrom a cyanidesolution to which zinc dust is 40 tion, when taken in connection withthe accomadded.

panying drawings, wherein like reference char- In the form shown, asupporting frame'is proacters refer to like parts. It is to bedistinctly vided which may be constructed of suitable angle understoodthat the drawings are not a definition irons I I disposed in verticaland horizontal posiof the invention, this being defined by the aptionsin such number as may be required to propended claims. vide a rigid anddurable support for the appara- 45 In the drawings:- tus hereinafterdescribed. The frame work may Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on theline be welded toget bolted, and provided with l| of Figure 2. suitablebrace members I2.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of Figure 1, The apparatus will bedescribed in the order 50 having certain parts broken away for the;purthat the process is carried out.

pose of illustration. I I The zinc dust is placed in the upper end l3 ofFigure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view of a hopper M. The hopperI4 is provided with a the clutch mechanism embodying the invention.screen or sifter l5 disposed. in the upper portion Figure 4 is asectional View taken on the line of the hopper 14 through which the zincdust is 4-4 of Figure 1. sifted for finely dividing it. The hopper I4grad- 55 ually decreases in diameter from its uppermost portion to itslowermost portion. The lower end of the hopper is formed to receive theupper end of a second hopper l6. Within the hopper H5 5 and adjacent theupper end thereof is supported a roller I! by means of a shaft N5, thelatter being mounted in the walls of the hopper it by suitablebearingsurfaces l9. Since the'roller is designed to turn in a clockwisedirection from the position shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the inner wallof the hopper I6 is formed to closely conform to the adjacent surfaceof-the roller ll, as shown at 24, the purpose of this construction beingto prevent any zinc dust from passing between the roller and the closeadjacent portion of the hopper IS. The hopper it is further providedwith the reduced portion 22 upwardly from the roller, the latterterminating in the upwardly flared portion 23, the upwardly flaredportion 23 being adapted to receive the lower end of the hopper l4, asshown at 24. It can be seen that the zinc dust falling through thesifter I5 will continue downwardly through the reduced portion 22 of thehopper l6 and into contact with the 25 roller l1. e

For the purpose of regulating the feeding of the zinc dust, there isprovided a gate 26, the free end of which is adapted to cooperate withthe corresponding surface of the roller H, the other end of the gatebeing pivoted on a shaft 21. The shaft 21 may be provided with one ormore arms 28, the latter being provided with a threaded means 29 forregulating the space or distance between the free end of the gate 26 andthe corresponding surface of the roller H. The threaded means 29 may begraduated for determining 1 the spacing of the gate 26 from the roller[1, as

required. The roller ll isadapted to rotate clockwise, (as viewed inFig. 1), on the shaft, I8

towards the gate 26 and thereby deliver through the gate the requiredand regulated amount of zinc dust.

Means are provided for rotating the roller IT at predetermined speeds.In the form shown,

power is delivered from a'suitable source to a pulley 3!, the latterbeing mounted on a drive shaft 32 which is carried by the frame work andoperably supported thereon by any suitable v means, such as brackets 33.The drive shaft 32 5'0 is operably connected to a clutch member 34 byany suitable means, such as a pin 35 as in Fig. 3. The clutch member 34is provided with separate clutch faces 36 and 3'! respectively; theclutch faces 36 and 31 being adapted for selective connection withclutch faces 38 and 39 respectively; the clutch faces 38 and 39 beingcarried by sprocket wheels 4! and 42 respectively.

Me'ans is provided for selectively connecting the cooperating clutchfaces, such as the actuating wheel 43. The sprocket wheel M is connectedby a sprocket chain to another sprocket wheel 44 carried by a secondshaft 45 mounted on the supporting frame below the shaft 32, and thesprocket wheel 42 is connected by sprocket chain to another sprocketwheel 46 which is also mounted on the shaft 45.

It can be seen therefore that the shaft 45 may p be selectively driventhrough the medium of 0 either the sprocket 4! or sprocket 42, asregulated and determined by actuating the wheel 43, and thereby clutch34. The inner end of the shaft 45 is provided with a sprocket wheel 4],the latter I being connected with a sprocket wheel 48 car- 75 ried byshaft 49, by means of a sprocket chain 50. The shaft 49 is rotatablymounted on the supporting frame as shown at 5! and 52.

Mounted on the shaft 49 is a beveled gear 54, the latter meshing with asimilar gear 56 diaposed on the upper end of a vertical shaft 58, thelatter also being suitably supported by the frame, as shown at 51 and58. Shaft 55 is provided with a worm 68, the latter being adapted tomesh with a worm gear 55 carried by one end i of the shaft E8 on whichthe roller ii is mounted.

The roller [1 is therefore rotated by way of the shaft [8, worm gear 6|,worm es, beveled gears 55 and 54, shaft 45 sprocket 43, sprocket chain56, sprocket 41 and shaft 45, the latter being selectively driven by thesprocket wheels 4i and 44 or 42 and 46, as above described.

' Means are provided for shifting the axis of the shaft 45 for thepurpose of tightening or loosening the sprocket chain associated withthe sprocket wheels 44, 46 and 41. Said means consist of mounting theshaft 45 within eccentric bearings and 66, an operating handle 67 having its free ends 68 and 69 connected in fixed relation with theeccentric bearings 65 and tin respectively, whereby upon moving thehandle in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, the axis of theshaft 45 is shifted to the desired position.

. Means are also provided for locking the actuating handle El in anypredetermined position, said means comprising a U-shaped member 7B, thelatter being rigidly fixed to the supporting frame, as shown at l i, andprovided with an arcuate slot 72, the latter being adapted to receive astud or projection it carried by the adjacent arm of the actuatinghandle Bl. The end of the stud it may be threaded to receive a lockingmember l4, whereby the handle 67 may be locked into rigid fixed relationwith the U-shaped member, as shown at E5.

In order to prevent the adherence of the zinc dust to the apparatus,there is provided a novel means for vibrating that portion of theapparatus with which the powdered zinc dust comes into contact while itis beingfed through hopper it. Said means comprises a vibrator or tappermember 11, the latter being carried by a suitable support 18 rigidlyfixed to the frame l i, as shown at 19. The supporting member #8 isprovided with spaced guides 88 and 8| through which the tapper rod flpasses. The tapper rod Ti is tensionally pressed downwardly by means ofa spring 82 disposed around the rod Ti and having one of its endsresting against the inner face of the guide 85!, and

having its other end resting against the upper face of the collar 83,the latter being in fixed rigid relation with the tapper rod 11. Thelower end of the tapper rod H is adapted to contact with an enlargedportion or anvil 84 formed on the upper portion of the hopper It, so asto strike downwardly so that the vibration from the blow is generallyaxially and downwardly relative to the hopper. A cam member 85 isprovided for raising the tapper rod Tl against the tension of the spring82, the cam 85 being rigidly fixed to a shaft 35, the shaft 86 beingsupported by the frame I l as shown at 8?, and provided at its other endwith a gear 88, the gear 88 meshing with a gear 89 carried on the end ofthe shaft l8. The ratio between the gears 88 and 89 may be such asrequired for sifting the zinc dust in the particular local atmosphericconditions.

The operation of the shaft l8 and roller ll having above been described,it can readily be understood that since gear 89 is carried by the jwithin the reducedportion '22 (if the hopper I6 "for engaging andcooperating with annular flanges '93 and 94F-respectively provided ontheends of the roller I'I,I'(see Fig.' 2)j. Theseside 'plates SI and 92direct the zinc dust directly onto the surface of the roller and preventany'portion of the dust from coming inco'ntact'with the adjacentsides ofthe reduced portion 22. Also since the anvil 84 is formed on the hopperI0,w hic'h carries the shaft I8, on which the roller I1 is mounted, andsince the lower endof the hopper I is in direct contact with the flangedportion 23 of the'hopper I6, it follows thatthe tapper or vibratormechanism operates to simultaneoiusly vibrate the hoppers I I, I6 androller I'I, thereby positively causing the smallest particles of the vzinc dust to continue on its downward course in accordance with theexact amount predetermined by the gate 26.

1 The lower end of the'hopper I6 which is open, terminates in a reducedportion having predetermined dimensions, and is adapted toregister witha very important feature of the invention, since it is necessary thatthezinc dust come in contact 7 with the greatest possible surface of theliquid to be treated.

Means are provided for delivering to the zinc mixing chamber I00 theliquid carrier to be treated, whichis here being described as a cyanidesolutioncontaining suspended values, though a fwhich is slightlyinclined, reduces in depthfrom its open end I04 to a point of outletinto a mixingchamber I00, as shown at I05. The width of the trough I03is of substantially the same width as the width of the mixing chamberI00, the latter being the same width as the lower end of the hopper I6.By this structure a wide shallow stream of solution is subjected to afeed of precipitant or zinc dust throughout its entire width andsincethe solution is of shallow depth, the feed of precipitant may beregulated with exactness and thoroughly dispersed throughout the liquidthe trough I03 andextending upwardly and turnably engaging an enlarged:portion I2I of the hopper I6; This construction is advisable since itvibrates'trough I03 with the hopper and evenly spreads the fluid feedfrom the outlet I05; and

, as it is often necessary to determine the amount of precipitantpassing by the gate 26, it permits swinging-the mixing chamber I00 bymeans of the swinging support I free of the opening in the bottem of thehopper I6 where the precipitant may be caught in another container, andthe exact amount by weight may be measured and the gate 26 fset topermitthe desired amount to pass therethrough.

' After mixing the zinc dust and the liquid in mixingchamber' I00, thefluid is then transferred by way of the opening I06 in the bottom of themixing chamber I00 to an emulsifying cone I01. I

A novel float valve I08 is provided within the cone for intermittentlypermitting the emulsion in the cone to pass by way of the valve I08through the opening I 09 to a pump, represented in 7 its entirety by I20(preferably a triplex plunger pump) where the emulsion flowing from thecone I01 through the outlet conduit as indicated by the arrow I2I comesinto contact with the full flow in the conduit indicated by the arrowsI22 of the main supply of the pregnant solution'to be treated at thepump I20 and after leaving the pump is then delivered into a suitableset of bags or'fllt-ers (not shown) where the values are recovered bywell-known processes (vacuum or pressure processes).

The valve I08 is provided with a valve stem I I0 which extendsvertically up through the cone and through an opening I I I provided ina guide member H2. .The guide member II2 extends above and across thetop of the cone having downwardly turned portions I I3, the ends ofwhich are rigidly fixed to the outer'cooperating edges of the cone.Intermediate the length of the valve stem is provided a float I I4,which is adapted to raise the valve I08 when the emulsion in the'conerises to a predetermined level.

The valve stem H0 is provided with a stop or collar H5, which is adaptedto limit the upward movement of the float H4. The stop member H5 engagesthe bottom surface of the guide member II2, as shown in dotted lines atII 6. To .more perfectly align the valve with its seat H8, the valve I00 is further provided with a stem II'I extending downwardly from theface of the valve through the opening I09.

It therefore follows that the upward and downward movement of the floatand valve will be dependent in a major degree upon the rate that theemulsion or mixture is fed to the cone, but also in a minor degree by anupward'and downward movement of the valve and float which is also causedby the fact that the pump on the up or suction strokes of the pistonswill draw or suck on the liquid in both conduits indicated by arrows I2Iand I 22 and will thus seat the valve I08 regardless of the height ofliquid in the cone and the buoyant effect of float I I4. down orpressure stroke takes place in the engine cylinders, the suction on thevalve I08 through conduit from the cone ceases by reason of seating theintake valves of the engine, and the float then is again efiected by itsbuoyancy to raise the valve dead from its seat. The unseating of thevalve is also affected by center points at the ends of the upper andlower movements of the pistons of pump I20, which causes an instan- Whenthe,

taneous thrust on the solution, in the conduit indicated 52W. Thisalmost instantaneous interval of interruption of piston force at theupper and lower dead points of the piston-stroke, causes the suction soto speak, to act hesitatingly for that instant, and this is reflected inturn by release of suction upon the valve mechanism I08, thereby causingintermittent responsive movement of the float upwards and downwards,creating the agitation necessary to keep the emulsion well mixed and theprecipitant in constant suspension and also maintaining an intermittentfeed from the cone at very short intervals and in small amounts at eachinterval. Particular emphasis is directed towards the importance of thefunction 01v the plunger pump, and this feature may be more clearlyunderstood by pointing out that if the plunger pump, here illustrated,was removed from the system and a centrifugal pump substituted therefor,the present apparatus would be less efiicient, as the agitation withinthe cone,

due to the upward and downward movement of the valve Hi8 and float H4,would be so sluggish and infrequent that the agitation produced therebywould be insufflcient to properly and continually mix the emulsion. Inother words, in case of the centrifugal pump, the opening of the valvewould be dependent solely upon the float lit to raise the valve I08.Also this would be retarded by the slight vacuum effect produced orexisting below the valve [08, while in the case where the plunger pumpis employed, the pulsation set up by the plunger pump operates todestroy the vacuum effect below the valve I08 and tends to unseat thevalve 38. The valve seat H8, which is preferably made of porous materialsuch as wood, also assists in the instantaneous action of the valve byprevention of the sticking of the valve, due to any vacuum effect whichmay occur below the Valve. This is thought to be due to the iact'thatthe wooden seat is somewhat porous and that the contact between thevalve Hi8 and seat H8, when the valve is in its closed position, doesnot form a completely leak-proof contact. Furthermore, it will beunderstood from the foregoing, that in the present illustration, where atriplex pump is employed, the valve Hi8 opens three times during everyrevolution of the pump.

The float mechanism also acts as a check against the inclusion of air inthe agitated precipitant and liquid in the cone, since agitation isprovided in the cone by movement of the valve in the lower part thereofrather than agitation with a mechanical beater, which is a veryimportant feature in the process.

While I have illustrated and described one embodiment of the invention,it will be understood by those skilled in the art that certain changes,

substitutions,modifications, additions and omissions may be'made in thestructure herein illustrated without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as I defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a precipitation apparatus, a combination of means for mixing aprecipitant and a liquid, an agitation chamber for receiving the mixedprecipitant and liquid and having an inlet and an outlet, a float in theagitation chamber and a valve in the said outlet operable by said float,a conduit member in communication with said outlet, and a pulsating pumpconnected in said outlet conduit and adapted for pumping the fluid insaid outlet conduit and for unseating said outlet valve responsive tothe pulsations of said 2. In a precipitation apparatus a means forfeeding a mixture of a precipitant agent and a liquid, an agitationchamber for receiving the mixed precipitant and liquid, said agitationchamber having an inlet and an outlet and being of greater diameter atits inlet portion than at its outlet portion, a float in the agitationchamber, and a valve in said outlet operable by said float, a conduitmember in communication with said outlet and a pulsating pump connectedin said outlet conduit.

3. In a precipitation apparatus means for feeding a mixture of aprecipitant agent, a liquid, an agitation chamber for receiving themixed precipitant and liquid, said agitation chamber having an inlet andan outlet, a float in the agitation chamber, a valve in said outletoperable by said float, a conduit member in communication with saidoutlet and a pulsating pump connected in said outlet conduit, said valvehaving a porous seat.

4. In a precipitation apparatus which has a feed for a mixture ofpregnant liquid and a precipitant, an agitation chamber for receivingthe mixed precipitant and liquid, said chamber having an inlet and anoutlet, a float in the agitation chamber, a valve in the said outletoperable by said 'float, a conduit member in communication with saidoutlet and a pulsating pump connected in said outlet conduit.

5. In a precipitation apparatus the combination of means for feeding amixed precipitant and a liquid having ore values suspended therein, anagitation chamber for receiving the mixed precipitant and liquid, saidagitation chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a float in theagitation chamber, and a valve in said outlet operable by said float,said valve having a porous seat at said opening.

JOHN B. MARTIN.

